Sunday, April 18, 2010

Bruin Recruiting: Prep News Roundup (4/19)

By Bruin Basketball Report

Prep News Roundup is published every Monday.

Commits

Joshua Smith shines at All-American game: Kentwood's Joshua Smith, who won a state title and was named state player of the year, scored 10 points and hauled in six rebounds and helped the West to a 107-104 win over the East in the McDonald's All-American Game in Columbus, Ohio. The 6-foot-9 Smith has signed with UCLA. MaxPreps 4/13

UCLA has signed junior college transfer Lazeric Jones to a national basketball letter of intent. The 6-foot-2-inch, 195-pound guard will be a junior next season after transferring from John A. Logan College in Carterville, Ill. He previously attended Simeon High in Chicago. Jones averaged 14.5 points, 4.9 rebounds and 5.7 assists last season for his JC team. UCLA coach Ben Howland says Jones is a good playmaker who can also shoot the ball. Jones joins other early signees -- guard Tyler Lamb of Santa Ana, Calif., and center Josh Smith of Kent, Wash. ESPN 4/14

Mater Dei retired the athletic numbers of basketball players Tyler Lamb and Gary Franklin and water polo player Alex Wherry on Friday. Lamb, The Register’s 2009-10 player of the year, had his No. 0 retired during an on-campus rally that included Monarchs boys basketball coach Gary McKnight and water polo coach Chris Segesman. OC Varsity 4/16

Recruits

"He's going to do what's best for him and I'm going to do what's best for me," Terrence Jones said. "Hopefully it's together, but I still want him to do well no matter if he goes with me or not, and I know he wants the same for me." Jones, a 6-foot-8 forward and consensus high-school All-American, lists Washington, Kentucky, Oregon, Oklahoma and UCLA as his top five choices. Seattle Times 4/13

On Wednesday afternoon, Trey Zeigler, the Mt. Pleasant senior guard, confirmed on ESPNU that will play college basketball under the guidance of his father Ernie, at CMU. “I have decided to stay home and play for my dad at Central Michigan,” Zeigler said during his announcement. “With this recruiting class I think I am going to be able to come in and do great things. We have brand new facilities, brand new gym, and I think it is a great situation for me.” Morning Sun 4/14

They were there for each other during the recruiting process and on Wednesday Ray McCallum Jr. and Trey Zeigler were in the same law office in Southfield to make separate announcements live on ESPNU about where they planned to play college basketball. Both players chose to remain in the state to play for their fathers, who coach at mid-major schools. McCallum Jr., a point guard from Birmingham Detroit Country Day, pulled out a Detroit Mercy Titans jersey when he made his announcement shortly after 4 p.m. He chose to play at UDM for his father, Ray McCallum Sr. Detroit Free Press 4/14

Of course, these two players committing to smaller programs certainly could alter the landscape in a couple of mid-major leagues. In Ray McCallum's case, it's hard to see Butler giving up its position atop the Horizon League anytime soon. Of course, that doesn't mean McCallum can't have a major impact from day one. His presence gives the Titans a player who can create his own shot and get his teammates involved. McCallum, who picked Detroit over a list of schools that included Florida and Arizona, probably possesses more athletic ability than any other player in the conference, and that should be an asset for the Titans on both ends of the court. He could stand to improve his jumper, but that will come in time. ESPN 4/14

Point guard Ray McCallum from Detroit Country Day announced he would sign with Detroit, whose coach is Ray McCallum Sr. Shooting guard Trey Zeigler from Mt. Pleasant chose Central Michigan, whose coach is Ernie Zeigler, a former UCLA assistant. Both were prime targets for Howland, who signed center Josh Smith from Kentwood, Wa., and guard Tyler Lamb from Santa Ana Mater Dei last November and is expected to sign this week guard Lazeric Jones from John A. Logan Junior College in Illinois. After losing out on McCallum and Zeigler, UCLA could take another look at unsigned Compton Centennial guard Deonte Burton. LA Times 4/14

There have been some rumblings about KU perhaps having a chance at Terrence Jones, a 6-foot-8 forward and the 13th-ranked overall player according to Rivals.com. So, I asked Jones today if KU was in his mix of schools. "I won’t really know until after this (Jordan Brand Classic) is over," Jones said. "I haven’t really started my recruitment over. It’s been on pause." Rivals.com says Jones is considering Kentucky, Oklahoma, Oregon, UCLA, Washington, Arizona and Kansas. Jones said he talked with KU coach Bill Self before the first signing period ended. "He’s a great coach with a great program," Jones said. "That’s a great school." LJ World 4/15

Terrence Jones' college decision remains a choice from among five schools, despite reports that he has narrowed his focus to Kentucky, Oregon and Washington. The Jefferson High School star, a two-time Oregonian Class 5A player of the year, said Friday afternoon in a text message to The Oregonian's Aaron Fentress that those three schools, Oklahoma and UCLA remain under consideration. Oregon Live 4/16

For months, Terrence Jones has repeatedly said he was down to Washington, Oregon, UCLA, Oklahoma and Kentucky. But after Saturday’s Jordan Brand Classic all-star game in New York, Jones told the Lawrence (Kan.) Journal-World and News he planned to visit Kansas soon. The news came shortly after another top recruit from the class of 2010, Josh Selby of Baltimore, said Saturday he was going to sign with the Jayhawks. In the latest ESPNU 100 ratings for the class of 2010, Selby is rated No. 5, and Jones No. 9. Selby “is anxious for me to join him,” Jones told the Journal-World. “He feels it would be best for both of us. Possibly, we could do great things there.” NCAA rules allow recruits to take five school-paid visits. Jones has made visits to Washington, UCLA, Oklahoma and Kentucky, leaving him one. He has unofficially visited Oregon, meaning he paid for the visit. Jones continues to say he will make an announcement about his college future on this Friday, April 23, or the next Friday. Oregon Live 4/18

12 Comments:

A good dad would say, "Ray, I know you love me son and it's really touching that you chose Detroit, but you should go to UCLA and be your own man." Instead of "You Ray-Ray, pick Detroit so I can have a fatter paycheck and a longer contract."

Matt totally agree with you. I think Butler's success this past year has "tainted" some smaller school's thinking into thoughts of grandeur - that ANYBODY can do it. While Butler's run was impressive (I was rooting for them all the way), it was also highly unlikely and improbable - to win 6 games in a row against top teams with an "unknown" talent base. That being said, Butler was a 5 seed - it is not like they were a 12 seed. If Detroit were to make the Dance, honestly, what kind of seed do they really expect to receive? Anything below a 6 is EXTREMELY difficult to advance, let alone to the title game.

Maybe I'm just being naive, but I am a bit more optimistic than most about next year.Reeves Nelson is a blessing - finally, a guy we know won't leave after a year or two, but will give us 12 and 8, just like Mbah a Moute did, for 4 years.Obviously, I agree that Josh Smith better be our starting center after all the hoopla surrounding him.And I am already convinced after seeing some tape and reading about Lazeric that he'll be at least an improvement over anderson (not collison or westbrook, but still).As weak as the Pac-10 will be again, I really think we have a chance to challenge for the conference title, and be on the bubble for the tournament. 19-21 wins.

Weak offensive scheme makes it boring and unappealing to players. I have said it before that nowadays star players have more leverage than programs or coaches.In the old days without mass media and attention, players choose big time schools to get a chance on getting exposure. Nowadays however, star players can go anywhere pretty much and get just as much exposure just about.The days of going to a traditional program to get exposure takes a back seat to a program with higher offensive exposure to showcase to the NBA.Until the NBA helps NCAA by mandating a minimum of two years or three of college experience, great players will continue to go to programs that can showcase their skills quickly.The NBA will always prefer a more offensive talented player than defense as the previous sell more than ladder.